To prevent exploitation of women and bonded labour, a day-long awareness programme was organised at the Government Arts College for Women here on Thursday under the joint auspices of the NSS unit of the college, International Justice Mission, Chennai, and Rewards Foundation, Pudukottai.
Inaugurating the programme, J. Govindadas, principal of the college, said the objective of the programme was to eradicate bonded labour in the district. He underlined the role of women students in sensitising the masses to the evils of the system and its adverse impact on society. Clement David, Community Relations Manager, International Justice Mission, Chennai, said the mission had set up a toll-free service 80560-80000 and persons with vital clue about bonded labour or exploitation of women labour could contact the Mission.
A. Baskar, founder of the Rewards Foundation, said poverty forced parents to send their wards to work in labour-intensive factories.
Referring to the “Sumangali” scheme implemented by private garments factories in Tirupur and adjoining districts, he said the scheme, by virtue of its attractive nomenclature, had resulted in exploitation of women labourers of Pudukottai district. S. Neelavathy, NSS Programme Officer, said a large number of students of the college belonged to poor families. The programme would go a long way in sensitising them to the evils of bonded labour and exploitation of labour.
A play was staged on the occasion in which volunteers of the mission depicted the evils of bonded labour.
